@Pablo. I can sympathize, it's easy to have your whole on-site show time tied up with meetings. My rule of thumb always has been to block out at least a few hours of time, right from the start, for roaming the show floor and a handful of conference sessions. No meetings considered during those times.

@Marcia. From what I've heard talking to a few people (so, strictly anecdotal) travel budget recovered somewhat post-recession but not to where they once were. Speaking of the recession, that was the peak of the speculation about in-person shows being dead. Obviously, those predictions were off by more than a little, considering live show attendance these days.

I wonder how travel budgets are these days. There was a while in the depths of the recession when organizations were really cutting back on travel. Judging from the big crowds I've seen at conferences this year, though, that no longer seems to be the case.

I've gone to VMworld in the past, and I find it's always a great one to attend for all things cloud and virtualization. Aside from some great sessions, there is a wealth of great partners attending to keep up to date on everything going on in the industry.

Our latest survey shows growing demand, fixed budgets, and good reason why resellers and vendors must fight to remain relevant. One thing's for sure: The data center is poised for a wild ride, and no one wants to be left behind.